Posted by Laurie Sullivan at 12/20/2012 In October Barrett third grade students visited Patuxent Research Refuge and the National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in Maryland. We brought twelve cameras that were purchased as part of last year’s Toyota TAPESTRY Wildlife Refuges and Nature grant project. During the field trip students took photographs in the Visitor Center, as well as on the hike and on the tram ride. After the trip students worked in the Discovery Lab and in the classroom to write about the experience. We were fortunate that our principal Mrs. Bratt collaborated with us on the project. After the writing we were ready to add our photographs. We used iBooks Author on the Mac laptops to create our books. We appreciated our ITC Mr. Delventhal helping us with the technology. Dr. Sullivan then submitted the books to iTunes. Finally, we received the exciting news that our books are available in the iTunes store!The books are available for FREE download on the iPad with iBooks or on the computer with iTunes. However, the books may only be read on an iPad. If you prefer to read a copy on your computer, a PDF of each book is posted below.For computer: Start iTunes and go to the iTunes Store. Click on the “Books” tab and then search “Field Trip to Patuxent”For iPad: Download free iBooks app. Open iBooks app and click library. Search for “Field Trip to Patuxent”Download iBooks from iTunes Link to Mrs. Quinzio’s book https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/field-trip-to-patuxent-refuge/id590563995?mt=11 Link to Mrs. Nagle’s book https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/field-trip-to-patuxent-refuge/id590357799?mt=11

Posted by Allyson Greene at 6/7/2012 11:00:00 AM As a culmination of our year study of The National Wildlife Refuge System, first graders visited Patuxent Research Refuge on Friday, June 1st. Students were very excited to see wildlife, plants, and just to be at a refuge! We saw and observed the following:

Posted by Allyson Greene at 6/4/2012 9:00:00 AM To show your learning about our National Wildlife Refuge System, third, fourth, and fifth graders will fill out an online survey. Please click on the link below and take the survey:http://tinyurl.com/BarrettRefugeNatureSurveyComments (0)

Posted by Laurie Sullivan at 5/13/2012 Dr. Sullivan’s sons have heard so much about wildlife refuges and Flat Puddles this year that they were not surprised with the request to spend Mother’s Day out in nature. The weather was perfect for a visit to Occoquan Bay Wildlife Refuge early Sunday morning. We arrived just in time to see three birds being banded; a red-winged blackbird, a hairy woodpecker, and a cardinal. After banding, measuring, and weighing, my husband held and released the blackbird and I held and released the cardinal. Afterwards we hiked around the refuge and then took Flat Puddles to Burke Lake Park to enjoy a picnic lunch. What a wonderful Mother’s Day!Comments (1)

Posted by Allyson Greene at 5/9/2012 12:20:00 PM Thanks to the Virgina Museum of Natural History for loaning us the awesome animal mounts during this past school year! They will be leaving us to return to the museum next week! Here are some students saying their goodbyes!Comments (0)

Posted by Laurie Sullivan at 5/4/2012

On the 4th grade field trip to Mason Neck, each student group was provided with a Toyota grant camera. The students took some amazing photographs! Here are some students uploading their photos to Project Noah, a citizen science project.

Fourth graders are learning about watersheds and water quality using the Watershed Model. Look at the difference in the water quality in the bay from the beginning to the end of the simulation! By the way…Happy Star Wars Day! May the 4th be with you!